Physicians set for Medicare pay hike under draft regulation

The base Medicare rate for doctors would rise 2.5% in 2026 under a proposed rule the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published Monday.

President Donald Trump and Congress mandated this one-year boost to physician reimbursement in the tax bill that became law this month. That same statute offers a higher increase for doctors participating in alternative payment models.

CMS proposed Medicare reimbursement cuts the previous five years. Congress intervened to forestall them in most cases, but not this year, when doctors saw a 2.9% reduction.